Ski binding



May M', T946 L. BEERLI 2,400,065 SKI BINDING Filed July 12, 1945Patented May 14, 1946 L UNITED. STATE sur BINDING j Louis Beerli,Engelberg, Switzerland` Application my *12, 1943, sefialNo. 494,360 f tIn Germany Api.'ill1fi,1942 i 1 i This invention relates to skibindings.` Ski bindings includingiheel straps are known in whichforwardly of the toe irons two tighten-` ing levers are arranged whichpermit of adjusting the ski binding so as to exert decreased ,orincreased tension. The same effect'can be ob-` tained by using a singletightener the means of which for engagement with the heel strap isprovided with various rests in' which the `released tightening lever canbe selectively inserted. l

Further, ski bindings are known which are provided with. twortighteninglevers arranged forwardly of toe irons and in 'which the heel strap istightened by means of one Vtightening. lever, whereas the othertightening lever serves for adjusting the position of a'rearwardlydisposed retaining means for producing or varying' the diagonal tension,that is, connecting said retaining means with the heel strap ordisconnecting same therefrom. y i

It has also already been proposed to arrange two oppositelydisplaceableclaws on a rail which is displaceable longitudinally of askiY provided with a ski binding which is devoid of a heel strap and inwhich the toe irons can be shifted up and down in the verticaldirection. These claws. can function to engage with the sole of the bootat the narrowed portions thereof and when the rail is adjusted by afront tightener grasp the sole I of the boot and pull the latter inbetween the toe irons. In this arrangement the rear end of the. rail isprovided with a nose which as the rail is shifted toward the front canbe moved into engagement with a stationary guide fastened lto the ski bywhich means rising of the heel of the boot from the ski is counteractedand a diagonal tension effect is obtained. y The ski binding, accordingto the present in vention, which includes a tension member4 which isdisplaceablel in the longitudinal direction of4 the ski and providedwith parts adapted for producing or varying a heel depressing tensionand for engaging'with one or more abutment. means that are fastened tothe ski, and further a connection between a tightening lever and theten--` sion member permitting of varying the tension exerted on thetension member by means of the tightening lever, is` distinguished inthat the parts for producing the heel ,depressing tensionv are ad-`justable by virtue of the influence of a spring.

Advantageously, the said connection is -provided with means permittingof varying the tension acting upon the tension `member instantaneouslywithout readjustment yof 'the tightening lever.

To this end the arrangement'is, advantageous- 1y', such that the tensionmember is engaged with the abutment means when the tension isrelative.-A ly great but is disengagedtherefrom when the tension isrelatively small or altogether ceased, so that in changing over to smalltension or relief of tension the heel depressing tension isV variedorceased.

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, by way of example only, in which `f Fig'. lshows'afirstembodiment of the invention in elevation; i

I -Fig.2 `is a top planfview of-Fig' 1 with the heel strap in the`.position of diagonal tensioning;

1Fig. 3Vis a like top-plan view with the heel strap in positionof'wallringV with the skis;

Figs. -4 and 5 showv an elevation and atop plan view respectively ofasecond embodiment of the invention; l

- Figs. 6v and?? each show a sectional view of a detail with thelatterin a different position, and Figs. 8to 10 are views of modiiied details.

vIn the drawing the numeral I designates a ski 1` having-fixed toe irons2., A tension member which .provides a heel vstrap and is movable in thelongitudinal directionof the ski is in the form of traction-transmittingmeans such as a flexible solemstrap or rail 3 and consists preferablycfa steel strip. Thisheel strap incorporates also a part 5 in the formof a cable and a heel engaging spring 4. At the rear end rof the rail 3a yoke 6 is secured which serves for producing a, tension for depressingthe heel on its seat hereinafter referred `to as heel seating tension.The .front endsof the cable portions 5 are anchored tothe yoke 6 so thatthe latter is acted upon by the spring 4. The cable ends may beadjustably connected to the yoke 6 for the purpose of varying the length-of the cable. On the top surface o f the ski two hooks 6 are secured intowhich the yoke E. can enterwhen the sole plate. is shifted toward thefront so that the hooks GserVe as abutments for the sole plate toproduce the heel seating tension.

, The front end of the rail 3 is fastened to a member 1.which isdisplaceable longitudinally of a guide 8 which is secured to the skiforwardly of the toe irons 2. The member 1 is provided with two rests 9and l0 which are arranged behindteach other at different levels and areopen in the downward direction (Figs. 6 and 7). A stirrup .-.I l of atightening lever l2 which is fulcrumed .on the guide 8 is selectivelyengageable with said rests for the purpose of exerting a rel- .button I3is associated with the stirrup II.

atively strong or slight pull respectively. A push By placing thestirrup II into the rest 9 the front portion of the sole plate isshifted to such an extent that the heel engaging spring is stronglytensioned and thus a strong pull is exerted on the sole plate so thatthe yoke 6 comes to lie inside the hooks 6 (Fig. 2). In inserting thestirrup in the rest I the heel engaging spring is lightly loaded so thatthe tension set up in the sole plate is only slight.

By merely pressing down the button I3 by hand or by means of the skipole the stirrup I0 can be pushed out of the rest 9 (Fig. 6), whereuponthe member 1 is drawn rearward by action of the heel engaging spring 4and the stirrup II seats in the rest I0. In consequence thereof the yoke6 disengages from the abutments 6 (Fig. 3) so that it will be seen thatthe heel seating tension can be terminated abruptly without re quiringthe tightening lever I2 to be readjusted.

In its released condition the tightening lever I2 is turned over t0 therear toward the toe irons 2 and the sole plate 3 is shifted toward therear to such an extent that the heel engaging spring 4 is completelyreleased so as to make the heel free. If then the tightening lever isoperated for tightening the ski binding the rear end of the stirrup IImoves into the rest 9 due to the stirrup II tending to share in therotational movement by effect of friction intentionally produced betweenthe front end' of the stirrup and the tightening lever. In continuingthe turning over of the tightening lever toward the front a strongtension is set up in the sole plate as previously referred to while thisplate moves into engagement with the abutments 6 so that the sole plate3 can be raisedno longer and a diagonal tension is produced due to theinclined position assumed by the heel engaging spring 4 and the cableportions 5 which tension increases rapidly if the heel tends to risefrom its seat.

The heel strap is then in position for starting to run downhill. If itis required to change over from this position for starting to rundownhill into position for walking the exertion of pressure on thebutton as described above suiilces for bringing about this condition inwhich the heel can be retracted from the ski with ease while the heelengaging spring remains stressed in an amount suiiicing for retainingthe boot in engagement with the toe irons.

If it is desired to retain the boot in position on the ski for walkingwhile the tightening lever I2 is released the button I3 is depressedsimultaneously with operating the tightening lever for exerting tensionso that the stirrup II interengages with the rest Ill.

Two fiat bars I4 and I5 are firmly connected to the yoke 6, the bar I4of which underlies the heel of the boot and is pressed down on the skiby the latter so that the yoke 6 being connected with this bar is alsokept down for ensuring the reliable interengagement of the yoke with theabutments 6'. By action of the tension exerted on the yoke 6 by thecable 5 the latter is sub` jected to a torque tending to bend up thesole plate. This bending tendency is counteracted by the bar I4 as longas the latter is in bearing engagement with the heel of the boot. If,however, in the position for starting downhill the heel is raised fromthe ski the pressure exertion on the bar I4 closes. In this case the atbar I5 is pressed down on the ski bypaction of the torque referred toabove so that the sole plate remains relieved.

In the position for starting downhill the sole is vigorously pressed inbetween the toe irons, whereas in the position for walking the pressureis greatly reduced for the reason that the heel engaging spring isrelieved to some extent. This fact is of great advantage since the soleof the boot must be free for deflecting during the walking and must thenbe safeguarded against heavy pressures. Apart from this the frictionbetween the sole of the boot and the side plates of the toe irons isgreatly diminished and the movement relative to the latter considerablyfacilitated by the partial relief of loading of the heel engagingspring.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5 differs from that precedinglydescribed in that the sole plate is formed by a continuous cable loop I6and an associated heel engaging spring 4. A cross member I'I which formsa part for producing the heel seating tension is firmly connected to thecable portions extending alongside of the ski on both sides thereof andengages firmly with an abutment I8 like the yoke 6 described inconnection with the first embodiment. The cross member Il is adjustableby virtue of the iniiuence of the spring 4.

As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, a cross piece 23 may be provided with anorifice 2I having a slot 20 in its upper part corresponding in width tothe thickness of the cable, and a thickening 22 provided on each laterallength of cable can bemoved into and out of engagement with the walls ofthe orifice.

Further more than two rests may be provided in the member 1, forexample, a series of four rests 9, 9', 9" and 9"', as shown in Fig. 10,for obtaining a corresponding number of different conditions of reliefof tension of the sole plate. One of these rests, for example the rest9"', may correspond to the condition of complete relief of tension ofthis plate, so as to provide for a releasable binding in which the meansfor relieving the tension are controlled in any suitable manner usualfor releasable bindings.

I claim:

l. A binding for holding a boot on a ski in two adjusted conditionscomprising, toe irons against which the toe portion of the boot engagesin fixed position, a lever mounted on the ski forwardly of the toe ironsand having a transversely extending pivot about which it is turnable,traction transmitting means extending rearwardly from the lever, aconnection between said lever and said transmitting means including aplurality of differently located abutments and abutment-engaging meansadapted to be selectively brought into engagement with either of theabutmentsfor adjusting the traction, means including a spring forapplying the traction to the heel of the boot in a forward and downwarddirection, the amount and direction of application of the tractiondepending on the position of the engaging means with respect to theabutments, and means operable while the ski is applied to the boot forshifting the engaging means from one abutment to the other withoutoperating the lever.

2. A binding for holding a boot on a ski in two adjusted conditionscomprising, toe irons against which the toe portion of the boot engagesin fixed position, a lever mounted on the ski forwardly of the toe ironsand having a transverselyv extending pivot about which it is turnable,traction transmitting means extending rear- Wardly from the lever, aconnection between said lever and said ,transmitting means including aplurality of differently located abutments and a stirrup swingablyconnected with the lever adapted to be selectively brought intoengagements, and a button connected with said stirrup for operation toquickly release the stirrup from an abutment to alter the condition ofattachment ment with one or another of the abutments for yJ adjustingthe traction, means including a spring for applying the traction to theheel of the boot in a forward and downward direction, the amount anddirection of application of the traction depending on the position ofthe stirrup with 3. A binding for holding a boot on a ski in twoadjusted conditions comprising, toe irons against which the Yt'oeportion of the boot engages in fixed position, a lever mounted on theski forwardly` of the toe irons and having a transversely ex#V tendingpivot about which it is turnable, traction transmitting means extendingrearwardly from the lever, a connection between said lever and saidtransmitting means including a plurality of differently locatedabutments and a stirrup swingably connected with the lever adapted to beselectively brought into engagement with either of the abutments foradjusting the traction, means including a spring for applying thetraction to the heel of the boot in a forward and downward direction,the amount and direction of application of the traction depending on theposition of the stirrup with respect to the abutof the boot on the ski.

4. A ski binding for holding a boot on a ski in two adjusted conditionscomprising, toe irons against which the toe por-tion of the boot engagesin fixed position, a lever mounted on the ski forwardly of the toe ironsand having `a transversely extending pivot about which it is turnable,traction transmitting means extending rearwardly from the lever, aconnection between said lever and said transmitting means including aplurality of diierently located abutments and a stirrup swingablyconnected with the lever adapted to be selectively brought intoengagement with either of the abutments for adjusting the traction,means including a spring for applying the traction to the heel of theboot in a forward and downward direction, the amount and direction ofapplication of the traction depending on the position of the stirrup,means connected with said stirrup for operation to quickly release thestirrup from an abutment, a yoke connected with the tractiontransmitting means in rear of the toe irons, yoke-engaging means forholding the yoke and traction transmitting means close to the ski whenone abutment is engaged by the abutment-engaging means, and forreleasing the yoke when said abutment is not engaged by theabutment-engaging means.

LOUIS BEERLI.

